Seven years after it closed its doors, Oakden is still casting a shadow over Australia's aged care sector.
Kerim Skelton, who between between 2010 and 2016 was a nurse manager at Oakden Aged Mental Health Care Service which was the subject of a scandal that eventually contributed to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, has had his nursing registration cancelled.
The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Skelton had failed to properly supervise and manage staff who were providing care and older people suffering, in many cases, significant health issues and disabilities.
An Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) investigation into Skelton’s conduct during his time at Oakden resulted in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) referring him to the tribunal.
The Tribunal found Skelton:
- did not perform all his responsibilities as Nursing Director of Oakden in relation to clinical governance,
- did not ensure accountability for standards of nursing care,
- did not ensure effective training of staff, and
- had a defensive attitude to complaint management.
Oakden, which was located in northeastern Adelaide, was forced to close in 2017 after South Australia's chief psychiatrist revealed rough handling, excessive use of restraints and a large number of injuries among residents at the facility.
In February 2018, the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption report 'Oakden A Shameful Chapter in South Australia’s History' said residents suffered neglect due to staff shortages to the point the facility was "medically unsafe". Residents were also assaulted, the report said.
The series of events triggered by the Oakden scandal was a factor in the establishment of the Aged Care Royal Commission in 2018.
"The shameful failures that took place at Oakden must never be repeated, and these outcomes [for Skelton] send a powerful message to the entire health workforce to always put the welfare of patients as your paramount priority,’ said Ahpra CEO, Martin Fletcher.
In recent months, another Oakden nurse manager, Julie Harrison, was also banned from nursing, following a 10-year suspension for "appalling conduct over a prolonged period".